“We created an environment of love,” reflects Robin Thede about “A Black Lady Sketch Show.” In our recent webchat she continues, “I know that sounds sappy, but you know how food is better when it’s made with love? This show was better because it was made with love.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.
The sketch series aired on HBO for four seasons with the final episodes premiering in 2023. It was ground-breaking for representing minorities in front of and behind the camera. Thede was the creator, showrunner and star of the show. The sketches spoofed a wide range of genres are tapped into real experiences. Thede explains, “For me it was about tackling relatable things in an unexpected way. The definition of the show has been Black women living grounded experiences in that magical reality we create.”
Over the years, the series won directing and editing Emmys and received guild recognition. Thede considers, “That legacy of talent and awards following people on the show is something that makes we want to cry. I am so proud of that. I didn’t do the work; they did the work in their individual arenas. But it was because we all shared that same vision of greatness for the show.”
Thede reveals, “I learned a new level of empathy and compassion for my crew and my writers and my actors. Once you are in charge of all of those people, you really take it seriously. It becomes such a family.” Empathy can also serve comedy. The creator adds, “When you have empathy in your comedy that’s when you’re not punching down. Especially with Black women, the last thing I want to do is retraumatize us.
On the show finishing after four seasons, Thede admits, “I will always have sketch ideas. But it was also important that we didn’t overstay our welcome. To stay on four seasons in this environment is such a blessing and so amazing. ‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’ is the thing I am most proud of in my entire career, and I’ve done a lot of fun things.”
She reveals, “The legacy the show gets to leave is about all these women that have come through. They have benefited in ways I could never have imagined in season 1. They have taken their talents to these amazing heights. It’s been a fun home for so many of us these past few years. We got to try these fun experimental characters and stories, and do things you are not going to see anywhere else on TV.”
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